This is for science....[claire]

[shaungallagher]

It took a few days, but he found them. Really it was simple enough, he just needed the right bait to lure them out of their holes. As he predicted, all the little She-rats had stayed low for the last couple days....none of them really thought of fleeing too dangerous, too unknown, strength in numbers, strength in the group.

Blah Blah Blah that whole line of bullshit that was simply used to hide the fact that they were scared, and weak, and they didn't know what to do. They stayed near their home their comfort zone just like Shaun knew they would. They were in the palm of his hand.

Catching each one was only a matter of time. They were scared, and by now they were undoubtedly sick, or otherwise...they would most likely show themselves unintentionally as their powers' manifested, but even if they managed to stay concealed it would only take a , team with a mutant radar or two to take each one down.

Shaun only needed one of them, and if that was the case why not find the most likeable of the group. All he needed was a way to weed out the weak from the strong.

_____________________________________________

Claire and her companions all woke up suspended in rusty cages above a pool of acid....all nicely lined up in a row right next to each other. In front of them were a set of three button's a red one, a yellow one, and a green one. Shaun gave them a few minutes to take in the situation and stew in their misfortune before he begun:

"Good Morning, I hope you all had a nice nap. I know you must be wandering "What Am I doing here"? "What's going on?" well I will tell you. In fact it's very simple, you have something that belongs to us, and I'm afraid, this thing you can't give back.

"So We've decided to get rid of you, all, but one of you that is. It'll be up to you to decide, which one. In Front of you there are Three buttons the green one will set you free, and will open your cage and will let you go, but it will lower the other cages into the acid. The Yellow one will lower one cage at random, and the red one will lower your own cage, if any of you are feeling particularly valiant.

You have One hour, if there is more then one of you at that time you will all be lowered in. GOOD LUCK.

A large timer positioned on the opposite was began to count down in seconds the amount of time they had left to live.

Now this was entertainment

____________________________________________________-_

OOC: raw footage+bloopers:

[claire]

The past week hadn’t been that kind to Claire. Kidnapped once, tested on, kidnapped a second time (Or so she thought), and kidnapped a third time, only to wake up in a…. Well bird cage was a good word.

Upon waking, her first instinct? Get out. Throwing all her strength into it, she kicked out, slamming her feet into the steel, which probably was the reason all the others woke up. The rusty protested from her attack, and she would have struck again… If it weren’t for the fact that she suddenly noticed that there was acid below them…

After a few moments, there was that voice, she seemed to be the only one calm as the ‘man’ spoke. The other girls… Most were hysterical, crying to no end. It irritated her, obviously. But she felt no reason to comfort them. None of these girls had been a part of her ‘street family’.

She remained silent even after the voice had ‘left’. The other girls? Not so much. If they weren’t crying, they were screaming to be let go, or yelling at each other that he couldn’t be serious. Claire knew he was. Someone willing to go through all this trouble was dead serious. And Claire was not going to die for some superficial believe that this was all some sick joke.

A few minutes ticked by as Claire thought about the options. Finally she scowled. ”Screw this.” Without any hesitation she pressed the green button. Instantly, to her surprise, the cage actually opened. To everyone else’s horror, the other cages started to lower. Ignoring their screams, Claire leaped out of the cage, clearing the batch of acid and rolling when she hit the ground, to lessen the impact. On her feet, she kept her back to the screaming girls. Sure, she felt bad for them, but she wasn’t going to die for a bunch of strangers. Not to mention, if they couldn’t handle this sort of betrayal, they shouldn’t be on the streets to begin with. It was a dangerous world, and if you weren’t willing to do what it took to survive….. Well, that’s where Survival of the Fittest came from.

[/justify]

[shaungallagher]

Shaun watched the scene from above, his forehead making a smudge on the otherwise pristine one-way plexiglass window. He sneered when his little experiment escaped, so quickly. Normally her actions would have delighted him, but now she didn't get to stay and watch the show.

The rate at which the cages descended into the acid was excruciatingly slow, and on top of that they were suspended a few feet in the air. It was just enough time for them to imagine the terrible pain and torture that awaited them. Good way to put them into the right mindset in their final moments.

Some called out for Claire's help (apparently that was our winner's name), while others swore obscenities unbecoming of proper young ladies, but mostly there was silence, and dread. A sense of foreboding crept over the room and smothered it like a thick smoke.

They were blind and suffocating on their own fear, it was delectable. Shaun watched with rapt fascination, and honestly he found himself a bit....preoccupied.

The next part was his favorite. as the acid just seeped its way into the bottom of the cages, flowing in and out like the tides. The look of horror and anguish that came over the victims. The cages of course did not descend at the exact same rate, so while some suffered the others watched...transfixed by their doom.

This was the part where things would descend into madness, The screaming, crying the outright desperation and sense of hopelessness. Yes it was a pain in the ass to set this little game up, but awww....was it worth it! What a great show this was, too bad it had to be tarnished.

He watched till the end, till the last whimper was uttered from the most likely already dead corpse and then he turned around and looked at all his workers behind him. A wide ecstatic smile brimmed on his face.

"Well fella's good show, good show, a little shorter then I expected, but nonetheless just that much more exciting for it. I want to congratulate you all on a job well done, consummate professionals every one of you. That's why on top of your generous compensation, I would like to offer you all a gift..."

Shaun produced a bottle of what looked to be champagne, both old, and quite possibly very valuable.

"This my friends, is a bottle of 1820 Juglar cuvée, there are only 168 bottles in existence, this being one of them. Found in a shipwreck, and retrieved from the bottom of the ocean, this some of the most valuable champagne the world as ever seen. This particular beauty..." he said as he admired the workmanship of the bottle. "Is valued at about 62,000 dollars, I thought we all deserved to taste that kind of success."

glasses were passed the drink was poured and they all stood around gracious to their generous benefactor and employer. "A toast...May all the drinks that touch your lips be as...memorable as this one." It was a strange toast, but it was a fitting one as the group tasted the nectar of success, the last thing they would ever taste.

Within a few moments they would all be on the ground foaming at the mouth, having the equivalent of a seizure, which would 'bring them the bliss of eternal sleep' as Shaun's mother once said. They should enjoy the moment while they still can.

Shaun walked into the backroom where all the tech was stored for their wonderful operation. Here he found the man he was looking for, the IT wizard and the coordinator of the whole shebang.

"Oh I trust the video is all done, and ready to go?"

"Yes sir HD 1080p of the whole show...all ready for your...personal enjoyment.

"Good...good you've done some fine work here...very fine indeed...except..."

"Except what sir?"

Shaun got uncomfortably close to the man, so close in fact, that their noses were now almost touching.

"Well you see, when that young lady there, when she pushed the Green button, her cage opened and she left the rest to die."

The man looked confused: "Yes sir...just like you wanted it sir."

"No you see..." Shaun's voice now merely a whisper, "I needed the cage to stay shut...So she could enjoy this wonderful moment she helped bring about..."

a small sharp object extended from Shaun's finger came through the bottom of the man's chin and popped out of the top of his skull with a slick gushy sound, one that rang of precision.

"You robbed her of that moment...and I'm afraid I just don't tolerate such things."

Shaun let the body slide to the ground as he watched with a detached and passive stare. He grabbed the Blueray for later and headed out the door stepping over bodies as he went to meet his little pet.

[claire]

Claire had to ignore the others. Had to. If she got too caught up in it…. She’d probably risk her life trying to help. Even if she did know only to look after herself…. It was hard. These girls knew her, not well, but they knew her. And they were, probably, going to die because Claire didn’t want to.

Hearing the screams of pain… She flinched, but refused to look. Refused to watch. No, she had to find a way out. The sick bastards were probably watching the girls wither and die. They might, just might, be ignoring Claire. If she was going to escape, she had to do it now while they were distracted.

She moved through the warehouse, searching for some escape while pushing the screams to the back of her mind. The first door she came upon… had a huge padlock and chain. She reached in her pocket… And found them empty. Shit, how was she supposed to pick the lock without any of her tools? She’d never heard of someone able to pick a lock with their bare hands!

Furious, she kicked the door with all her strength, the rattling of the chain echoing through the warehouse. Well, that was smart of her. The screams had just stopped, so those bastards probably heard it….

Dammit, stupid lock…. She took a few steps back. If she was right, they’d be showing up very soon to find her. She didn’t have the time to look for another exit! If that lock would just come off…. With out realizing it, she was concentrating on the lock, willing it to disappear.

And it did…

Shock was an understatement. Just like that, the lock was in her hands, the chains falling limp, loudly clattering to the ground. What…. The hell…? Startled, she dropped the lock, frozen. She hadn’t done that! No way in hell! It was… It was some mutant freak messing with her.

As scared as she was, she suddenly had an opportunity to escape (Right around the time Shaun started his search on the main floor for her… And he probably heard the commotion.). Yanking the doors open, she bolted….. Out into another factor floor that was used for storage. Seriously?!

She only hesitated for a moment, before running for cover, using the boxes and crates to hide. Thankfully her size made that pretty easy.

[/justify]

[shaungallagher]

Shaun walked commandingly through the storage complex, it was large and maze-like each corridor leading to another, all filled with useless and forgotten things. It was fitting place for some rats to meet their end. In the middle of a maze, with no conceivable way out.

Now there was only one left, HIS little rat Claire I guess her name is. She was all that was left, she had proven her will to live, as all good rats should, but there was still one major problem. She was running from herself. She didn't want to face the consequences of he actions, the realities of her new situation. She didn't want to face the beautiful monster that she had become. She just ran no where to go, nowhere to hide.

Survival was the only thing on her mind, she was an animal, a rat in a maze and nothing more, and that simply wouldn't do.

Shaun didn't need prey, he didn't need another scared piece of meat, who couldn't think for itself. He needed a predator, a monster, someone who could actually prove useful to him, if he couldn't get that then she was of little use to him, just a distraction, a little game.

He had already gotten what he NEEDED from her. by looking at the locator it was clear that her X-gene had activated, which was enough to prove his theory. Whether her powers worked...what they were...or if she was insane could all wait for later. She had now crossed the line into disposable territory.

If she was going to be useful, Shaun was going to have to clean up the mess that his crew left him. Dumb shitheads thought, cyanide and cheap champagne tasted like success...showed just how useless they were.

Shaun took a small walkie talkie from his jacket pocket.

"Congratulations Claire." the booming demonic voice echoed throughout the complex's empty halls. "You seem to be our winner...and it was an impressive win if I do say so myself. You clocked in at...Less then five minutes. I think that is faster then any test subject we have on record. There is one problem though."

there was a significant pause as Shaun strode down through the rooms with an ease and a familiarity. "In order for us to let you out of here...you are going to have to face what you have done...if you can not then We are afraid that you must suffer the same fate as your friends.

Another long pause to allow her to contemplate what this meant. Shaun strode ever closer to Claire's position, slowly circling it like a vulture as she fumbled around. Hitting a few buttons on the walkie talkie he seemed to whisper into it, and then he pressed a few more.

His circles were getting smaller now, if it weren't for the immense amount of stuff strewn about these rooms Claire would have seen him.

Shaun's body began to change as he walked. Not by much only in small increments. He grew thinner, weaker scrawnier. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, and hadn't eaten for longer then that. A total wreck he mussed up his hair, discarded his jacket leaving only his white undershirt, and using the tip of a now very sharp finger nail he then cut and tore at the shirt so it hung on him only at the fringes. To finish the little ensemble, he cut his lip down to his chin. It was a thin cut but it bled well.

Licking the blood from his fingertips, he prepared to turn the corner and meet his little pet.

"Aughhh!" he yelled in pain as he shambled around the corner half hunched from exhaustion and discomfort. Almost not seeing the girl at first he seemed to focus on the ground in front of him, focused simply on his next few steps.

When he finally did notice her it was with a start: "Who are you! what are you doing here! You're not here to take me back are ya cause I'm not going back!" genuine fear mixed with aggression came through his expression as he got ready to defend himself against whatever the girl might do.

[claire]

Claire was trying to find an exit, while staying hidden, at the same time. This place though… It was a maze! Every turn she made, all she saw were more crates. Shit, did this room even have an exit to the outside? If it didn’t… Why had it been locked?!

Wait…. Dammit, she was such an IDIOT! You see a lock when you’ve been ‘kidnapped’ and you think exit. They’d used that against her… Or whoever they thought would press the green button.

When she heard that voice again, she froze. What was said infuriated her. Where were these bastards?! What the hell did they want?! The creeper had said she ‘had’ something of his… But what the hell was it? Why had they killed the other girls? Just for their amusement? That was sick. Sure, it made her pretty sick for giving them what they wanted…. But she wasn’t going to die. Not if she could help it.

She was mulling this over in her head when she heard something. Movement…. With out hesitation, she grabbed the nearest object she could, a small crate, and threw it with all her strength, which, for her size, was surprisingly strong.

She’d thrown it before thinking, and slightly regretted it after seeing who the person was. Maybe this ‘maze’ had been designed to hold other ‘winners’. ”Take you back? What the hell are you talking about?” She didn’t apologize for throwing the crate at him.

[/justify]

[shaungallagher]

Shaun seemed barely on his feet as it was, so it was no surprise that the crate sent him flat on his arse. It hit him straight in the head leavin a nasty gash on his forehead for the trouble.

He struggled just gettin the crate off him as he feebly attempted to stand back up again.

"I've been Huff chained up here huff two weeks lady! been drinkin water from a broken rusty pipe! so if you think I'm goin back there you got another thing comin!"

"Those damn bio-companies lockin people up and injectin them with who knows what their actually doin...Just who do they think they are...I just..I just..."

The man was in bad shape, exhausted and nearly delirious. Whatever ordeal he had been through it clearly almost cost him his life. His eyes were going in and out of focus, as he was struggling to stay conscious through the ordeal.

"If only I could get the energy to get the hell out of here, I'd show those bastards a thing or two..." he said as he nearly stumbled into the girl.

[claire]

The girl still didn’t offer an apology, even when she saw that she’d actually injured him. Like hell if she cared! All she wanted was to get out of this place! And the longer she stayed here chatting? The slimmer her chances became. She was feeling so harsh right now, she didn’t even help him get up, just took a few steps away from him, warily watching him and her surroundings.

And his rambling! Damn his rambling! Wasting even more time. ”Dammit, shut the hell up!” Man, she was in a really bad mood, picking on a poor, defenseless guy. ”I don’t care what the hell happened to you, I just want to get out of here before they decide to kill me too! Now if you don’t mind, I need to find an exit.”

She was trying to move around him, but the guy, for as weak as he was, had effectively blocked it, and, to top it off, she suddenly stumbled forward, just about plowing into her. A simple side stepped saved her from the fate of being squished. ”Yeah, why don’t you just sit there and wait for them to show up, like hell I can take you with me in that state.”

Claire was looking for another exit, before she sighed, shook her head, and jumped onto a crate, climbing over the mountains of boxes like a monkey. It was likely it didn’t matter what terrain the girl was in, she moved just as fast climbing as running.

[/justify]

[shaungallagher]

Shaun liked this pet, she was after his own sick and twisted little heart, she was. She definitely had priorities Shaun could appreciate, which made her all the more useful when the time came. It was simply a matter of forcing her under his control.

"You go right ahead then." Shaun grunted as he attempted to raise his face from the concrete. "You have fun trying to find your way out of here why don't ya?" Shaun spat causing blood to splash onto the ground below his unwashed cut. "This place is a maze ya know...A maze for us Rats. Place used to be a chemical factory...I worked as a janitor here...Until the 'accident' that is."

She could take the bait, or she could let him be. It really didn't matter either way. There was only one real way out of here, how long the little doe wanted to scurry around looking for it was up to her.

Shaun himself, felt the familiar tinge of of boredom starting to seep into his mind. The game was already over, there wasn't all that much fun to be had, except for of course, breaking the little girl's spirit, but that would come one way or another in time...soon it would be time to stop playing games, and move on.